IELTS Essay: The Best Time in History

Sample Answer

Many today claim that we are living at the pinnacle of human progress and civilization. I am largely in agreement with this sentiment and believe that living in Europe during the Renaissance would also be interesting.

The standard of living enjoyed by the average person today is unprecedented. This can be evidenced across a variety of areas including medicine, technology, entertainment, transportation, art, and so on. A person living hundreds of years ago had a much higher probability of fighting in a war or dying early because of disease. Even if they survived these perils, they would likely still have to work long days at difficult occupations such as farming. Today, most people work around 40 hours a week in a comfortable office with air conditioning or heating. The only meaningful tradeoff now is that technology has become so pervasive, in terms of social media and streaming platforms, that people are mentally and physically passive.

Another period in history that would be interesting to reside in would be the Renaissance. The Renaissance is often hailed as the beginning of modern civilization and striving for truly great achievements. There were significant advances made in science and medicine during this time period. More importantly, the arts were elevated to a height comparable with the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo created some of the greatest masterpieces in human history. I would enjoy being alive then in order to either participate in or simply observe the optimism of the European Renaissance, particularly in contrast to the cynical passivity of modern life.

In conclusion, people today are more entitled than any previous generations though there are tradeoffs related to technology. It would also be ideal to live in a period such as the Renaissance when human expression and endeavor were flourishing.